The Beauty of the Devil is a serio-comic
approach to the classic German fable of “Faust,” utilizing French filmmaker
René Clair’s tendency to make films with socio/political satirical humor at the
expense of upper class mores. Focusing on the humor rather than the tragedy,
The Beauty of the Devil allows for a lighter approach to the tale while still
remaining true to it. The performances take front seat in importance over any
type of stylistic approach to the fantasy elements of a deal with the devil.
When a
well-respected professor of alchemy finds himself nearing the end of life
without accomplishing the task he has been working on for much of his life, the
temptation for a chance at youth is too great for Professor Faust (Michel
Simon) to resist. The devil (Gérard Philipe) appears with a deal to give the
professor everything he has wanted, including youth and the chance to finish
his goal of creating gold, with his soul demanded in exchange. Faust is given a
young new body, while the devil takes his own, leading to a series of tricks
and manipulations.
This
black-and-white classic from 1950 has been transferred to high definition
Blu-ray, cleaning up the image from as much debris and scratches as possible.
The Blu-ray disc also includes a documentary featurette from 2010 and a trailer
gallery.
Entertainment Value:
7/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 8.5/10
Historical
Significance: 8/10
Disc Features: 6/10
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